Method for reducing acrylamide formation in thermally processed foods

Abstract

A process and apparatus for a method for reducing the amount of acrylamide in thermally processed foods. This invention permits the production of foods having significantly reduced levels of acrylamide. The method relies on interfering with an acrylamide formation pathway that begins with the amino acid asparagine.

1. A method for the reduction of acrylamide in thermally processed foods comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a food ingredient that contains free asparagine; 
 (b) adding an asparaginase solution to the food ingredient, thereby inactivating asparagine in the asparagine-containing food ingredient; 
 (c) using said food ingredient as a component in a food mixture; and 
 (d) heating said food mixture to form a thermally processed food. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of reducing acrylamide formation in thermally processed foods of  claim 1  wherein the food ingredient comprises primarily a carbohydrate. 
     
     
       3. The method of reducing acrylamide formation in thermally processed foods of  claim 1  wherein the food ingredient is selected from the group comprising rice, wheat, corn, barley, soy, potato and oats. 
     
     
       4. The method of reducing acrylamide formation in thermally processed foods of  claim 1  wherein the food ingredient comprises potato. 
     
     
       5. The method of reducing acrylamide formation in thermally processed foods of  claim 1  wherein the asparagine-containing food ingredient further comprises at least one other amino acid. 
     
     
       6. The method of reducing acrylamide formation in thermally processed foods of  claim 5  wherein the at least one other amino acid is lysine. 
     
     
       7. The method of reducing acrylamide formation in thermally processed foods of  claim 1  wherein the inactivating step (b) comprises adding an asparaginase solution to the asparagine-containing food ingredient in the presence of a simple sugar. 
     
     
       8. The method of reducing acrylamide formation in thermally processed foods of  claim 7  wherein the simple sugar comprises glucose. 
     
     
       9. The method of reducing acrylamide formation in thermally processed foods of  claim 1  wherein the food mixture is heated at step (d) to a temperature of at least 80° C. 
     
     
       10. The method of reducing acrylamide formation in thermally processed foods of  claim 1  wherein the thermal processing of the food mixture of step (d) occurs at temperatures between 100° C. and 205° C. 
     
     
       11. A food produced by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       12. The food of  claim 11  wherein said food comprises potato. 
     
     
       13. The food of  claim 12  wherein said food comprises potato chips.